Self-driving Volvo cars on the horizon
When you think about Volvo one of the things that come to mind is the fact that they are safe cars.
Volvo has, over the years, established itself as a leader in vehicle safety and as a result, many of the safety features on your car today were first featured on a Volvo. The pursuit for a zero motor vehicle accident rate is at the forefront in Volvo’s goals and with it comes the development of new technology.
As the pursuit for vehicle safety increases, so do the advancements in autonomous technology and Volvo has recently partnered with tech firm Luminar to provide their industry-leading LiDAR and perception technology for Volvo’s next-generation cars.
Luminar’s technology is based on its high-performance LiDAR sensor which emits millions of pulses of laser light to accurately detect where objects are by scanning the environment in 3D, creating a temporary, real-time map without requiring internet connectivity. LiDAR is a key element in creating cars that can navigate safely in autonomous mode by providing them with the reliable vision and perception that cameras and radar alone cannot provide. LiDAR is the ideal basis for safe decision-making in complex environments at high speeds.
Volvo Cars’ next-generation SPA 2 modular vehicle architecture will come as a hardware-ready package for autonomous driving directly from production which is scheduled for 2022. The Luminar LiDAR system will be seamlessly integrated into the roof. Cars will be updated with software over the air and if customers decide to opt for it, the Highway Pilot feature that enables fully autonomous highway driving will be activated once it is verified to be safe for individual geographic locations and conditions.
“Autonomous drive has the potential to be one of the most lifesaving technologies in history if introduced responsibly and safely,” Henrik Green, Chief Technology Officer, Volvo Cars.
The partnership will deliver Volvo’s first fully self-driving technology for highways and pave the way for future active safety developments in the pursuit of a 0% accident rate.
